The early human occupation of the Silves hill dates back to prehistoric times, it is believed that in the first millennium BC, when Phoenician navigators have penetrated the river Arade.

Built by the Arabs in the eleventh century, the Castle of Silves reflects the splendor that Islamic civilization reached in the Algarve.
Silves Castle was the stronghold of Muslim occupation in these parts.

In the summer of 1189 the King of Portugal, D, Sancho I, imposed a military siege to the castle, which the story has reach us by one of its participants cronics, describing the violence of the siege, as well as the employment of a variety of war machines, such as wooden towers, catapults and a "hedgehog" (wooden ball armed with iron spikes), which destroyed several towers and sections of the wall, leading to the surrender of the town, by the occasion, Silves was violently looted.

Archaeological remains in the castle grounds are invaluable for interpreting the history of Portugal, more specifically, as it was called at the time, "Kingdom of the Algarves".

Information about schedules and prices can be found here (only in Portuguese).

Do not miss a visit to the place that was the last great territorial conquest which established Portugal as we know it today.

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